New York police will use drones to monitor backyard parties this weekend, spurring privacy concerns
New York police will use drones to monitor backyard parties this weekend, spurring privacy concerns
Those attending outdoor parties or barbecues in New York City this weekend may find an uninvited guest looming over their festivities: a police drone.
The New York City police department plans to pilot the unmanned aircrafts in response to complaints about large gatherings, including private events, over Labor Day weekend, officials announced Thursday.
“If a caller states there’s a large crowd, a large party in a backyard, we’re going to be utilizing our assets to go up and go check on the party,” Kaz Daughtry, the assistant NYPD Commissioner, said at a press conference.
The plan drew immediate backlash from privacy and civil liberties advocates, raising questions about whether such drone use violated existing laws for police surveillance.
“It’s a troubling announcement and it flies in the face of the POST Act,” said Daniel Schwarz, a privacy and technology strategist at the New York Civil Liberties Union, referring to a 2020 city law that requires the NYPD to disclose its surveillance tactics. “Deploying drones in this way is a sci-fi inspired scenario.”
Oh no, not a large crowd on private property - this deservers police spying! /S
we’re going to be utilizing our assets to go up and go check on the party
Still bitter that they were never invited to any parties in high school and college. Seriously though, they need to back the fuck up. We have an amendment that requires them to get a warrant to spy on us on our own property or in our own house. Civil liberties groups need to stop raising questions and sue the fuck out of the police, judges, Mayor, and legislature. I hope someone knocks those drones out of the air. This kind of shit is infuriating. And no this isn't a sci-fi scenario, this is a clear and present dystopia.
Reading comments defending cops for launching drones to surveill people in their homes really boosts my morning faith in humanity.
Land of the not even slightly free.
what a crazy abuse of power and resources fuck the police
This all seems stupid.
If you have a party big and crazy enough to justify airborne surveillance, the police will be able to figure it out just by showing up at your door. No drones are needed.
That being said, NYC has been flying helicopters for decades, so really nothing new privacy wise other than the size of the aircraft and the fact that "drone" invokes fears that drive clicks.
Seems a great use of an anti drone gun
There's a book I think everyone should read, and it's not Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Remember when bill of rights?
Use your own drone to say hi...
ACAFB
This sounds as bad as Russia. Or even worse. Congrats on achieveing new level of shittyness.
And people just accept this
Every day I thank god I live down here in Florida and not that shithole up north